Frame sanding pointers
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 14
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
Frame sanding pointers
Hi ya all,
Going to start cleaning and revamping the underside of my 72 body on restoration and my first project is Frame clean up. Any preferences on types of Sanders and what grit to use? For the individual components im hoping to just buy a sandblasting cabinet but for the large objects and frame i was unsure of a high speed or a DA sander and which would be best? How about grit on metal? I dont have any serious rust but want to get it nice and bare before shooting it with an epoxy paint. A 50 to 80 grit good enough? Sorry if these seem like really stupid questions, but i'm pretty new to metal sanding...especially on a car!
Any tips and advice is more than welcomed. Cant wait to get started!
Thanks
Going to start cleaning and revamping the underside of my 72 body on restoration and my first project is Frame clean up. Any preferences on types of Sanders and what grit to use? For the individual components im hoping to just buy a sandblasting cabinet but for the large objects and frame i was unsure of a high speed or a DA sander and which would be best? How about grit on metal? I dont have any serious rust but want to get it nice and bare before shooting it with an epoxy paint. A 50 to 80 grit good enough? Sorry if these seem like really stupid questions, but i'm pretty new to metal sanding...especially on a car!
Any tips and advice is more than welcomed. Cant wait to get started!
Thanks
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 14
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
yes body still on but the underside is pretty bare, no spring, gas tank, exhaust. So an angle grinder or any kind of air sander and a wire wheel will work? Not much rust at all but I want to be thorough and remove what I can for pieces not being replaced.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 688
Likes: 1
From: Stevens Point WI
A grinder and a wire cup is what I used and a speed blaster for the hard to reach areas
I found that the wire cup with the wires that were twisted into larger sections worked the best on the electric grinder.
The speed blaster if you do not know what it is, holds a few cups of blast media in kind of a spray gun type application that uses a trigger to activate it.
P.S. wear saftey gear when using that wire cup, I used a face shield and welding gloves, it did not stop the occasional loose wire from flying off the cup and sticking into my leg though!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 14
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
well I agree the popular vote is for an angle grinder and a wire wheel. I think this will be my next purchase. As for the speed blaster; can you find those at the main hardware stores? I've never heard of this tool but it sounds like the perfect medium, especially on those tight areas up front. thanks for all the feedback
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 688
Likes: 1
From: Stevens Point WI
You should be able to get it from any good speed shop in your area, I bought mine thru Carquest
http://www.zendextool.com/speedblaster/
http://www.zendextool.com/speedblaster/
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
i did what your doing. i used a wire wheel to do most of the frame, for the removealbe parts i sandblasted. be sure to show pics when your done. tedious work but well worth it when your done.
more pics here
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...slato/?start=0
more pics here
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...slato/?start=0
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 14
From: Fort Wayne Indiana
Rosslato: those are some beautiful shots and a fantastic undercarriage. Mine will be a subtle driver so I'm unsure whether I'll go to your detail, but that is great looking.
Question, after the sanding what did you use to coat the frame? An epoxy paint?
Question, after the sanding what did you use to coat the frame? An epoxy paint?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
if u decide to go that route PM me for useful tips.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 48
From: westland mi
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Before you get too far along, you will find factory grease pencil markings on the frame, along with the A. O. Smith factory stencil, all of which you may want to keep. If you don't want to keep/replicate the factory markings, taking a bunch of pix for record wouldn't hurt.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Nov 13, 2008 at 10:05 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 12
From: Montgomery Alabama
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
I will be doing this as well to my '73 when it comes back from the paint shop.
I bought some paint stripper wheels, that I hope will be good to use with my small drill for the areas close to the brake and fuel lines.
In the past when stripping a frame, I have used the wire wheels and wire cups like others have suggested. Be careful, they will rip right through you if you are not well protected. Only use a drill that you can control, and one that is variable speed. The cheap ones from Harbor Freight work well because they are light and mostly plastic.
I have never used a sand blaster. I have one, but the lift is in the shop, and I don't want to use the blaster indoors. I may have to roll the car outside to do the sandblasting.
When it is bare, I plant to touch up the factory welds a bit. They look to be rather poor.
Be sure to post some progress pictures when you get started.
I bought some paint stripper wheels, that I hope will be good to use with my small drill for the areas close to the brake and fuel lines.
In the past when stripping a frame, I have used the wire wheels and wire cups like others have suggested. Be careful, they will rip right through you if you are not well protected. Only use a drill that you can control, and one that is variable speed. The cheap ones from Harbor Freight work well because they are light and mostly plastic.
I have never used a sand blaster. I have one, but the lift is in the shop, and I don't want to use the blaster indoors. I may have to roll the car outside to do the sandblasting.
When it is bare, I plant to touch up the factory welds a bit. They look to be rather poor.
Be sure to post some progress pictures when you get started.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
Almost forgot to add but I started using a product I picked up from one of our regular contributors called Rust Cure. Spray it on and it neutralizes the rust, providing a surface that can be painted. I scrapped the rust off and than spray on the product...its a rust converter type product.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
i did what your doing. i used a wire wheel to do most of the frame, for the removealbe parts i sandblasted. be sure to show pics when your done. tedious work but well worth it when your done.
more pics here
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...slato/?start=0
more pics here
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...slato/?start=0
